Accessory storage and projection apparatus for visual communications

ABSTRACT

Transparencies or overlay sheets releasably bound in some manner for storage can be withdrawn in any desired number of units from the storage binder and releasably anchored, prior to withdrawal, in a frame for projection. Whether the transparencies are bound for storage or projection or both, their flexibility makes it conveniently possible to limit the binding to a portion of the length of each sheet whereby the display portions of the sheets may be interchanged in order by flexibly manipulating the display portions past each other without disconnecting them from the binder. Any bindings may be used for this feature. For example, it may be incorporated in a textbook, as well as in projection apparatus. Conventional rings are used in the transfer arrangement but flexible tapes may also serve as hinges, a single tape performing both functions for a plurality of transparencies.

Wright ACCESSORY STORAGE AND PROJECTION APPARATUS FOR VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS [76] Inventor: John S. Wright, 6115 N. Lake Ct.,

Milwaukee, Wis. 53217 [22] Filed: July 24, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 274,353

Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 77,570, Oct. 2,

1970, abandoned.

[52] U.S. Cl 40/102; 35/9 E; 402/79 [51] Int. Cl. ..G09f11/08 [58] Field of Search 40/102, 104.02-l04.03, 40/104.17-104.19; 402/79-80; 282/29 B; 281/15 E, 21 R; 38/9 E [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 744,326 11/1903 Friend 40/104.17 1,682,192 8/1928 Schoolberg... 402/79 1,683,447 9/1928 Conger 40/104.03 1,881,636 10/1932 Johnson et a1 40/10402 3,083,988 4/1963 De Hertelendy..... 40/104.03 X 3,253,358 5/1966 Wright 40/l04.18 X 3,425,148 2/1969 Reese 35/9 E UX 3,518,782 7/1970 Long 40/104.18 3,524,703 8/1970 Wright 40/102 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATlONS Primary ExaminerRobert W. Michell Assistant Examiner-John H. Wolff Attorney, Agent, or FirmQuarles & Brady 57 ABSTRACT Transparencies or overlay sheets releasably bound in some manner for storage can be withdrawn in any desired number of units from the storage binder and releasably anchored, prior to withdrawal, in a frame for projection. Whether the transparencies are bound for storage or projection or both, their flexibility makes it conveniently possible to limit the binding to a portion of the length of each sheet whereby the display portions of the sheets may be interchanged in order by flexibly manipulating the display portions past each other without disconnecting them from the binder. Any bindings may be used for this feature. For example, it may be incorporated in a textbook, as well as in projection apparatus. Conventional rings are used in the transfer arrangement but flexible tapes may also serve as hinges, a single tape performing both functions for a plurality of transparencies.

6 Claims, 17 Drawing Figures ACCESSORY STORAGE AND PROJECTION APPARATUS FOR VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS This application is a continuationin-part of my copending application Ser. No. 77,570 filed Oct. 2, 1970 now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Major problems in the use of overhead projectors have involved the handling of transparencies between storage files and frames on which they may be manipulated for projection, it being desirable to hold the transparencies securely for storage, transfer, and projecting. Also, major problems have involved the ability of the teacher or other user to interchange the order of transparencies at will without releasing them from secure anchorage in the book or frame. All problems in this regard have been solved in the instant device by an invention summarized as follows.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION When only the interchange of order of the films or sheets is involved, the hinging thereof can be permanently achieved in any desired manner. even as simply as to use a tape of some kind connected to binding tabs, such tabs being sufficiently shorter than the total length of the film or sheet so that the anchored portions can remain fixed while the display portions thereof are manipulated past each other at will.

When the user is concerned with the more complex problem of storing transparencies and transferring them in whole or in part to or from a frame on which they are bound prior to release from the storage book, or prior to renewed storage, and on which the display portions of the transparencies can still be manipulated past each other for presentation in any desired sequence. it is desirable to have a specific relationship between the storage book binder and frame binder. the latter being unique in this field to permit it to be intro duced between transparencies of the storage binder preliminary to engaging certain of said transparencies independently of others and preliminary to their release from the storage binder.

For storage the whole length of one side of the film may be bound. For projection of the whole length of one side of the films, the opposite sides of respective films will be bound. In the case of the aforesaid tabbed films only the tabs which are connected in offset positions to the opposite side of respective films will be bound, and this is a primary feature of my invention.

Other features of the invention will be more apparent on the basis of the following detailed description thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. I is a view in perspective of a storage binder and associated projection binder for transparencies.

FIG. 2 is a view in perspective of a projection frame specifically devised for use and interaction with the storage binder of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view taken in section on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a view in perspective showing a modified type of projection frame and a slightly modified transparency for use therewith.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary detail view in perspective showing a projection binder in place beneath some of the transparencies in a storage binder, the rings of which are shown in opposition.

FIG. 6 shows in perspective portions of an overhead projection light stage or table and the projection binder in place thereon with one transparency registering with the stage and the other transparencies hinged to inactive positions.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 5 fragmentarily showing the storage book or binder and the projection frame reassociated for return of the transparencies to the book after projection, the storage binder rings being closed and the projection frame rings open.

FIG. 8 is a view in perspective of a book or frame having binder rings on which are mounted transparencies or other sheets with axially off-set tabs permitting display areas to be manipulated past each other for interchange of order.

FIG. 9 is a detail view in perspective showing how the display areas of sheets can be manipulated past each other without removing them from their common binding.

FIG. 10 is a view in perspective suggesting the use of any conventional tape as a means of binding sheets having axially off-set tabs.

FIG. 11 shows in mutually separated positions the sheets shown bound in FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a view showing in perspective sheets having binding tabs in conventional book format with display areas subject to manipulation to change their sequence.

FIG. 13 fragmentarily illustrates a bound transparency having masks mounted therefrom by tape, as in FIG. 10, to permit selective registration of their display windows with the transparency.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a modified form of my device.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the device of FIG. 14 showing the pages in a different position.

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view on line 16-16 of FIG. 14 showing the manner in which the pages are secured.

FIG. 17 is a view similar to FIG. 16 showing an alternate manner of securing the pages.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 shows a conventional ring type binder 16 with covers which preferably openflat as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7 and are internally provided with binder rings 18 which usually are opened and closed with snap action to engage the apertures 20 near one margin of a sheet 22 which may constitute a paper or translucent sheet bearing notes for the teacher or may constitute transparencies such as those shown at 24 in FIG. 6 and elsewhere.

If these transparencies comprise display areas 26 hearing material for overhead projection, they may be placed individually, or while bound, on a display frame to register with the windowed portion of a stage 28 beneath which there is a light source such as the lamp 30 and over which there is a means 32 and a mirror 34 as diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 6.

The present invention contemplates that normally the transparencies bound in the cover 16 by means of the rings 18 will be additionally bound. preliminary to projection, along the margin opposite the apertures 20. This margin has other apertures to receive the rings or arcuate fingers 36 of the special binder frame 38 which is separately illustrated in FIG. 2. Apertures 40 are, in practice, closely spaced to correspond in number and position with the arcuate fingers 36.

As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the rings or arcuate fingers 36 are mounted on a carrier strip 46 which is in the nature of a rock shaft which may be oscillated by means of a manual actuator 48 between the closed position of FIG. 3 and the open position of FIG. 7. Preferably guards 50 are provided adjacent the actuator 48 to prevent accidental manipulation thereof.

The frame 38 on which the transparencies are bound for projection has a central aperture or window at 52 and it has slots 54 which register with the rings 18 of the storage binder. Additionally. there is preferably a thumb notch at 56.

The entire projection frame is preferably bounded by a low flange 58, portions of which may slope outwardly as shown in FIG. 3. These portions tend to urge transparencies into registry with the arcuate binding fingers 36 by pushing them against one or more stops 60 (FIG.

Regardless of how many transparencies may be bound in the storage book 16, the operator can insert the relatively thin projection frame 38 beneath whatever number of transparencies are desired to be lifted from the book for projection. Having incorporated the projection frame as shown in FIG. 5, the operator will first close the rings or arcuate fingers or other clamps 36 of the projection frame to engage the transparencies above the frame. Then, as shown in FIG. 5, he will open the binder rings 18 of the book 16. All the transparencies above the projection frame will now be released from the storage book while remaining securely anchored to the projection frame, and may be lifted unitarily from the storage binder and successively projected on the stage of the overhead projector. Preferably friction feet 65 on the stage or the projection frame provide secure anchorage during projection (FIG. 3).

Following projection, the several sheets may be restored to their original positions in the storage binder by placing the frame 38 on the storage binder and first re-engaging the storage binder rings 18 with the transparencies. When the rings 36 of the projector frame are released from the re-bound transparencies, the frame may be withdrawn but beneath them, its slots 54 clearing the closed rings 18 in the manner already described.

It is a great advantage in the use of the described projection frame, and also in other connections, to be able to move the display portions of the respective transpar ency past each other so that in a given group of transparencies the display portions may be projected in any desired order. The manner in which this is accomplished is best shown in FIGS. 8 to 12.

FIG. 9 shows transparencies A, B and C mounted by means of tabs. Thus the transparency A has a tab 62 near its left edge whereas the transparency B has a tab 64 near its center. Transparency C has a tab 65 at its right side. They may be tape mounted, as in FIG. 10, or ring mounted, as in FIG. 8. If ring mounted, the several tabs have the apertures as above described. In that event. these apertures are aligned in groups, each of which is limited to the extent of the respective tabs, as in FIG. 8. Thus without in any way dismounting the respective transparencies from their tape or binder ring mountings, it is possible to manipulate the transparencies past each other so that any one of them can be the first to be exposed for projection on the stage 28, or

other viewing. While a variety of transparent materials are sufficiently strong and flexible to accommodate this concept. I have found a polyester film material known as Mylar" to be the most satisfactory for the purpose.

FIG. 8 shows that this feature need not be limited to projection. The sheets and tabs 72 and the sheets 74 and tabs 76 are all bound upon a single set of rings 78 in notebook D. Some of the sheets may be transparencies while others may be thin paper or films which are opaque so that the teachers notes may be printed thereon.

FIG. 10 demonstrates that it is unnecessary to use binder rings for this purpose. The several sheets 82, 84 and 86 have tabs 88, 90 and 92, respectively, all of which are anchored by a single piece of adhesive tape 94 to the book covers 96, the tape being sufficiently flexible to serve as a hinge and the sheets being sufficiently strong and flexible to be manipulated past each other as above described. The sheets are separately illustrated in FIG. 11.

Instead of having the projection frame windowed and completely surrounding the window as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3., I may use the simplified frame of FIG. 4 which comprises merely a bar 380 which carries the binder rings or fingers 360 and the manipulating lever 480. There being no flanges such as those shown at 58 in FIG. 2, it is preferred to maintain registry by providing the sheet with holes 91 to receive register pins 93 adjacent the openings 400 designed. to receive the fingers 360. The miniaturized frame 380 may be used to receive any desired number of films 94 for removal from a storage binder and transferred to the stage of an overhead projector as above described.

The tabs, or the tapes to which the tabs are connected, may also be bound in any conventional book as shown in FIG. 12. Alternatively, the said tapes may be attached adhesively to some other film or sheet. This has utility, for example. in enabling masks 97, 98, of different opening dimensions to be manipulated into position on a transparency 240 as shown in FIG. 13, the masks having their tabs 880 and 900 held by tape 940 to the face of transparency 240 which may be free or separately bound. 1

In the device of FIGS. 14 and 15, pages 82, 84 and 86 are bound in a flat binder unit 83 by inserting the tabs 88, 90, and 92 into slots provided in the binder unit 83 for each set of tabs. As in the embodiments of FIGS. 8 through 13, each page is bound to the binder unit by a binding tab section 88, 90, 92, etc., and each binding tab section is spaced in non-overlapping relationship along a respective margin of the sheet to be bound with relation to other binding tab sections on other sheets. Because of this structure a page having a binding tab section 88 may be interchanged in position with an adjacent page having a binding tab section or a binding tab section 92 without removing either page from the binding 83.

As shown in FIG. 16 the respective binding tab sections 88, 80, 92 after entering slots 85 are secured to the bottom of binder unit 83 by means of tape 87. As

shown in FIG. 17, the respective pages are secured by a rivet 89. Other structures may be substituted for tape 87 or rivet 89, such as grommets, adhesive bonding, mechanical clips, and the like. It will also be noted that while for illustration only a few pages are shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, each binder unit 83 may accommodate many or as few pages as is appropriate for the subject of the pages. The number of pages may influence the choice of binding methods.

Finally. in the devices described. binder means 83 may be provided with structures to interact with other types of binders. For instance. holes may be provided for looseleaf notebook binding of units 83 for storage.

In use. it is desirable to print a group of pages of transparent material with projection materials dealing with a particular subject and bind the materials having to do with that subject in a common unit. Where a number of materials are to be used together. such as a map and successive overlays for the map. the overlays may be on successive sheets of which the first has a tab 88. the second a tab 90. and the third 92. If desired. more divisions of non-overlapping tabs may be provided. In this way, each overlay may be placed over the initial transparency without interference from the others and without consideration of the sequence in which they are found initially. Another example of such a use is that the separate transparencies may portray different portions ofthe color wheel so that by projecting different sheets together, different ones of the secondary and tertiary colors might be displayed with the portions of the color wheel that were overlapped to create them. Many other uses will be apparent. The binder unit may retain the pages either permanently. or temporarily. In either case. the non-overlapping mounting tabs permit the pages or sheets to be rearranged without releasing them from the binding or mounting means.

I claim:

1. A book of transparencies bound together at one margin to be superimposed in a plurality of different sequences for viewing. either with an overhead projector or without projection. the combination comprising a book binder;

a plurality of flexible transparencies. each of said transparencies being bound to said book binder along a portion of its margin adjacent the book binder. each of said transparencies having substantially the same dimensions and shape as each other transparency. said transparencies being substantially the size of a light window of a stage on an overhead projector. said transparencies being paginally aligned with one another both during storage and viewing and each of said transparencies having binding means on said margin whereby it is bound to said binder;

said binding means on said flexible transparencies consisting of one elongated rectangular tab with its width projecting perpendicular from said portion of said margin of each of said paginally aligned plurality of flexible transparencies, said tab being substantially shorter in length than the length of said margin. and said tabs being located in different positions along said margin so that no tab overlaps any other tab on said paginally aligned plurality of flexible transparencies. and said free end of each of said tabs being fastened to said binder.

2. A book of transparencies as set forth in claim 1 wherein said book binder is permanently fastened to said tabs.

3. A book of transparencies as set forth in claim 1 wherein said binder is a loose-leaf binder.

4. A book of transparencies as set forth in claim 3 wherein said book binder has a plurality of rings with means for opening said rings and at least one of said rings engages a hole in each tab.

5. A book of transparencies as set forth in claim 4 wherein each of said tabs has a plurality of holes through it;

and said means for opening said rings includes a carrier strip mounted to pivot about a longitudinal axis parallel to said margin of said plurality of transparencies and a plurality of arcuate fingers projecting from one edge of said carrier strip to pivot through said plurality of holes in said tab and form said rings.

6. A transparency display and storage apparatus comprising a book of transparencies as set forth in claim 5 having an open centered support frame extending from said book binder to support and frame said transparencies. and a plurality of holes through a second margin of said plurality of transparencies;

and a storage book having a releasable ring binder to releasably engage said holes through said second margin of said plurality of transparencies and a pair of protective covers pivotably projecting from op posite edges of said releasable ring binder.

l l =l l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT NO. 1 3,895,453

DATED 1 July 22, 1975 INVENTOR(S) John S. Wright It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 6, line 18, "wherein said binder" should read wherein said book binder Signed and Sealed this third Day Of February 1976 [SEAL] A ttest:

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN Arresting Officer Commissioner vj'Patents and Trademarks 

1. A book of transparencies bound together at one margin to be superimposed in a plurality of different sequences for viewing, either with an overhead projector or without projection, the combination comprising a book binder; a plurality of flexible transparencies, each of said transparencies being bound to said book binder along a portion of its margin adjacent the book binder, each of said transparencies having substantially the same dimensions and shape as each other transparency, said transparencies being substantially the size of a light window of a stage on an overhead projector, said transparencies being paginally aligned with one another both during storage and viewing and each of said transparencies having binding means on said margin whereby it is bound to said binder; said binding means on said flexible transparencies consisting of one elongated rectangular tab with its width projecting perpendicular from said portion of said margin of each of said paginally aligned plurality of flexible transparencies, said tab being substantially shorter in length than the length of said margin, and said tabs being located in different positions along said margin so that no tab overlaps any other tab on said paginally aligned plurality of flexible transparencies, and said free end of each of said tabs being fastened to said binder.
 2. A book of transparencies as set forth in claim 1 wherein said book binder is permanently fastened to said tabs.
 3. A book of transparencies as set forth in claim 1 wherein said binder is a loose-leaf binder.
 4. A book of transparencies as set forth in claim 3 wherein said book binder has a plurality of rings with means for opening said rings and at least one of said rings engages a hole in each tab.
 5. A book of transparencies as set forth in claim 4 wherein each of said tabs has a plurality of holes through it; and said means for opening said rings includes a carrier strip mounted to pivot about a longitudinal axis parallel to said margin of said plurality of transparencies and a plurality of arcuate fingers projecting from one edge of said carrier strip to pivot through said plurality of holes in said tab and form said rings.
 6. A transparency display and storage apparatus comprising a book of transparencies as set forth in claim 5 having an open centered support frame extending from said book binder to support and frame said transparencies, and a plurality of holes through a second margin of said plurality of transparencies; and a storage book having a releasable ring binder to releasably engage said holes through said second margin of said plurality of transparencies and a pair of protective covers pivotably projecting from opposite edges of said releasable ring binder. 